History of Louisa County Virginia United States of America

Our database does not include an historic photo for Louisa County Virginia, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us!

Biographies:

John Overton, jurist, was born in Louisa county, Va., April 9, 1766; a descendant of William and Mary (Waters) Overton. William Overton, a native of England, settled in Virginia previous to 1670. John was self-educated; taught school in Virginia, later went to Kentucky where he was admitted to the bar in 1787, and in 1789 removed to Tennessee, practicing at Nashville with Andrew Jackson, at that time district attorney. He was employed as an expert in straightening out complications in the land titles in the district, and in modifying the land laws of North Carolina in conformity with the acts of 1777 and 1783. He was appointed judge of the superior court by Governor Soviet in 1804, to succeed Andrew Jackson, and was judge of the state supreme court, 1811-16. He purchased with Andrew Jackson the Rice grant of land at the mouth of the Wolf river in 1794, and was influential in establishing the city of Memphis. He was active in promoting the election of General Andrew Jackson to the Presidency, and was consulted by the President during his two administrations. He owned the largest estate in Tennessee. He was the author of Overton's Reports 1791-1817 (1817), which contain the land laws of the state, and his decisions became the statute law of Tennessee. He died near Nashville, Tenn., April 12, 1833.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

David Johnson, governor of South Carolina, was born in Louisa county, Va., Oct. 3, 1782. He removed with his father's family to Chester district, S.C., in 1789; was admitted to the bar in 1803, and practised at Union Court House, S.C. He was a representative in the state legislature in 1812; circuit judge, 1815-24; judge of the court of appeals, 1824-35; chancellor, 1835-49, and governor of South Carolina, 1846-48. He died at Limestone Springs, S.C., Jan 7, 1855.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

George Poindexter, senator, was born in Louisa county, Va., in 1779. His parents, who were of Huguenot descent, died in his early youth and he was educated for the law. He practised in Milton, Va., 1800-02, and in 1802 removed to Mississippi Territory, where he continued in the practice of the law and became a popular politician of the Jeffersonian school. In 1803, as attorney-general of the territory, he was called upon to prosecute Aaron Burr, who was arrested by the U.S. authorities in the territory. This led to a challenge from and duel with Abijah Hunt, a friend of Burr, Poindexter killing his adversary. He was a member of the territorial legislature, 1805-07; a delegate to the 10th, 11th, and 12th congresses, 1807-13, and U.S. judge for the district of Mississippi, 1813-19. He served as a volunteer-aide to General Jackson at the battle of New Orleans, was a member of the Mississippi constitutional convention of 1817, and was chairman of the committee appointed to draft a constitution for the newly admitted state. He was the first representative from the state in the 15th congress, 1817-19, where he defended the military and political course of General Jackson. He was governor of Mississippi, 1819-21; continued his law practice in Jackson, Miss., 1821-30, and in 1830 was appointed U.S. senator to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Robert H. Adams, and when the legislature met he was elected to fill out the term expiring March 3, 1835. In the senate he transferred his allegiance from Jackson to Calhoun and voted for Henry Clay's resolution of censure of President Jackson. In 1835, failing to receive poiitical favor in Mississippi, he removed to Louisville, Ky. He was commissioned by President Tyler to investigate frauds in the New York Custom house. He is the author of Revised Code of the Laws of Mississippi (1824). He died in Jackson, Sept. 5, 1853.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

John Barbee Minor, educator, was born in Louisa county, Va., June 2, 1813; son of Launcelot and Mary O. (Tompkins) Minor; grandson of John of "Topping Castle," Caroline county, and Elizabeth (Cosby) Minor, and a descendant of Doodes Maindort, a sea captain from Holland who was naturalized by the Virginia house of burgesses, together with his son Doodes the Less. They were re-naturalized in October, 1675, and Doodes the Less adopted the family name Minor. John Barbee Minor attended Kenyon college, Ohio, and was graduated from the University of Virginia in 1833. He practised law in Botetourt county, Va., but in 1840 removed to Charlottesville to he a partner of his brother Lucian . He was professor of law at the University of Virginia, 1845-95, and for several years had entire charge of the law school. On June 12, 1895, the fiftieth anniversary of his incumbency of the chair of law, a life-size marble bust of Mr. Minor was presented to the University library by the law alumni, inscribed: "He Taught the Law and the Reason Thereof, 1843-1895." The College of William and Mary conferred upon him the degree of LL.D. He married first, Martha Macon Davis; secondly, Annie Fisher Colston, and thirdly, Ellon T. Hill, and had children by the first two marriages. He was editor of Madison's Resolutions and Report of 1798-99, (new ed. 1850); author of Synopsis of the Law of Crimes and Punishments (1869), and Institutes of Common and Statute Law (4 vols., 1875). He died at the University of Virginia, July 29, 1895.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Louisa County Virginia

Biographies:

Local History and Genealogy Links: